1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to business form mailers and, more particularly, to a two-way Z-fold business form mailer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Business form mailers are commonly used for mass mailing a variety of materials. These materials typically include documents having variable information such as invoices and academic grade reports. Many of these mailers are two-way forms, i.e., they can be constructed into a pre-addressed return envelope that the recipient can use to mail something to the original sender. For example, in the case of invoices, a payment check can be sent in the return envelope.
A common type of such a two-way business mailer is a C-fold mailer, which is disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,201,464 and 5,290,225. These mailers comprise a single sheet pre-printed with non-variable information, i.e., information that does not vary among recipients. Such information includes, e.g., the original sender's name and address. The original sender or form user prints variable information on the sheet using a printer. Variable information includes, e.g., the recipient's name and address and other information specific to the particular recipient. The form user then folds the printed form in a C-fold to create the mailer. As the form is folded, pressure-sensitive adhesive on the form causes the form edges to be sealed and the return envelope formed simultaneously.
One significant drawback to the C-fold mailer is that for effective use of printable space, both sides of the sheet are printed. Therefore, if a simplex printer is used for printing the variable information, the form is first fed through the printer for printing on one side, turned 180.degree., and then fed through the printer again for printing the second side. This lengthens the time needed to prepare the forms and adds further steps in the procedure. Alternatively, a user can use a duplex printer, which allows both faces of the form to be printed in a single feeding. Duplex printers, however, take substantially twice as much time to process forms as simplex printers. In addition, duplex printers cause significantly greater paper curl. Duplex printers are also more expensive than simplex printers and may not be readily available for all users. (Most laser printers are simplex printers.)